Glamorgan Wanderers v Rumney 20.01.2010

SWALEC Cup 2009-2010 Round 3

GLAMORGAN WANDERERS v RUMNEY

The Memorial Ground, Ely, Cardiff
Saturday 20th February 2010, k.o. 2.30 pm

Past playing record : played 11, Rumney 3 wins, Glamorgan Wanderers 8 wins

Rumney : 15. Dafydd Evans   14. Lewis Fox    13. Paul Niblett  12. Lee Mullane  11. Dan Millward  10. Danny Clark  9. Chris Milton  8. Michael Kelly  7. Matthew Way  6. Anthony Wilson  5. Mike Neale  4. Paul Bull   3. Darren Fenton   2. Michael Feneck (Capt)  1. John Leadbeatter   
Replacements:  16. Craig Fitzpatrick   17. Daniel Morris   18. Simon Barry  19. Lewis Andrews   20. Ryan Fenton  21. Ryan Sutton  22. Joe Deacon

Glamorgan Wanderers : 15. Jason Pocock 14. Matt Trowbridge 13. Simon Rosser 12. Ross Wardle 11. Ryan Healey 10. Aled James 9. Harry Trelawny (Capt) 8. Carl Kimber 7. Lee Highgate 6. Richard Thomas 5. Alex Luff 4. Gareth Knight 3. Scott Andrews 2. Ieuan Dobbs 1. Nathan Trevett
Replacements: 16. Jimmy Richards 17. Mark O'Leary 18. Ryan Beddows 19. Tom Evans 20. Ben Rose 21. Rhys Dyer 22. Robin Lock

Referee : Phil Connett

Glamorgan Wanderers 23  Rumney 16

Scorers for Rumney : Solomon Matthews try, Danny Clark conversion and 3 penalties

Scorers for Glamorgan Wanderers : Harry Trelawny try, Ross Wardle try, Jason Pocock 2 conversions and 3 penalties

A steady start by Rumney rattled Glamorgan Wanderers, particularly in the scrummage where the formidable front row of John Leadbeatter, Michael Feneck and Darren Fenton were to control these set pieces all afternoon. Uncharacteristic handling errors by the Wanderers allowed the visitors to exert early pressure and in the seventh minute Rumney outside half Danny Clark kicked a penalty to open the scoring. The home side responded quickly and working from good back of the line possession, set up phases in midfield from which scrum half Harry Trelawny darted over between the posts. Full back Jason Pocock converted the try, putting the Wanderers into a 7 - 3 lead and a lengthy period followed when Rumney needed to defend against a series of attacks, Clark kicking well for touch, winger Solomon Matthews counterattacking and scrum half Chris Milton sniping forward but also covering back to prevent a certain try. The home side started to open up the game where possible, left wing Ryan Healey producing an impressive solo break and play taking place largely in the visitors' half, but Rumney made use of their forward strength with No8 Michael Kelly proving hard to stop from the base of the scrum and second rows Paul Bull and Mike Neale bursting through in the loose. In the twenty fourth minute Rumney were penalised for going in from the side and Pocock kicked the points but the Wanderers were also conceding penalties and free kicks, particularly from the problems they faced in the scrums, and Rumney flankers Matthew Way and Anthony Wilson made significant breaks and gains in territory. In the thirty first minute the visiting forwards seemed to be pressing their advantage again when Wanderers' No8 Carl Kimber picked up well from a retreating scrum and burst forward, linking with Trelawny and taking play back upfield. The ball was spun and influential second row Alex Luff took it at speed in midfield and brushed off tackles before neatly connecting with centre Ross Wardle, who cut through the remains of the Rumney defence to score under the sticks, Pocock again adding the conversion. Wilson maintained a supply of quality lineout possession for Rumney and wingers Matthews and Lewis Fox and fullback Daffydd Evans gathered and returned high balls, coping well with the strong sun in their eyes. The Wanderers' forwards were far happier in the loose rather than the set pieces, and in the thirty fifth minute forced another penalty for offside, Pocock's successful strike taking the score to 20 - 3, but their backs still made unforced errors and Rumney centres Paul Niblett and Lee Mullane took advantage to snap up balls and counterattack, while Evans and Clark punished fumbles with huge kicks. In the fortieth minute Milton instigated a sustained Rumney attack from forwards and backs and when Mr Connett caught the Wanderers' defence offside, Clark kicked the penalty to give a half time score of 20 - 6.

From the restart Rumney went back on the attack and despite the referee issuing the home side with warnings, the Wanderers still looked dangerous on the fast counterattack and a try saving tackle from Niblett was all that kept them from increasing their lead. The visitors however forced a turnover and Evans made a dramatic break to take play back into the home twenty two where Luff incurred Mr Connett's wrath and Clarke slotted the resulting penalty.  Way was now the focus for Rumney lineout ball and Kelly, Bull and Neale were rampant in the loose, Leadbeatter, Feneck and Fenton still securing and gaining useful possession. Changes in the visitors' side saw the arrival of Ryan Sutton, Simon Barry and Ryan Fenton in the back row, all hunting down ballcarriers and claiming the ball, Dan Morris and Craig Fitzpatrick in the front row and Lewis Andrews and Joe Deacon in the backs. The home side could not penetrate the Rumney defence and a Wanderers' breakdown in midfield was seized upon with the turnover ball being worked quickly to the wing where Matthews was unstoppable on his sprint to the line. The final five minutes saw constant Rumney pressure and repeated infringements by the Wanderers, but the home side held out and moved into the quarter finals on the basis of their 23 - 16 win. 

Solomon Matthews

Matt Silva, Coach Rumney 1st XV : "Before the game, if you had asked me if I would be happy with 23 - 16, I would have said that given the circumstances, conditions and playing at a higher level, I'd have accepted that score. At present the squad of players and coaches that we have at Rumney have developed a belief and a competence that is wanting us to win matches and not just compete. I don't feel that Glamorgan Wanderers played poorly or took the wrong decisions, I think it was more a case of us making it difficult for them to play their style of game. Once again it was a mammoth effort from 1 to 22 with the players who came off the bench keeping the momentum going. I have to reiterate that we are unhappy with losing and feel it was a game we could have won. Well done to all the players on a fully committed performance, as coaches we could not ask for any more and we now look forward to playing Ystrad Rhondda, maintaining our league form and moving forward. We could pick any of the players as Man of the Match but John Leadbeatter takes the accolade this week for his sheer scrummaging power and his one hundred percent effort around the field."

Matthew Way, flanker Rumney 1st XV : "It was a good game and the conditions didn't stop the running rugby. Our scrum and set pieces were good but Glamorgan Wanderers defended them well. We were always in the game and the tempo was good, so when the Wanderers slowed it down we could have nicked it. It was a really good performance when you consider where they are in the Premiership. The scrums went really well and the lineouts were good and I thought we had the edge, if we had finished a few more chances we could have won the game. We've just got to take this form on in the league. Darren Fenton and Paul Bull were outstanding and John Leadbeatter played brilliantly."